Core barrel



Jar I24, 192s.

. o. M. CARTER coma BARREL Filed July 26. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 1 i i I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS jam, 24, 1928. 1,6523% O. M. CARTER CORE BARREL Filed July 26, 1924 2 S ets-Sheet 2 ykm ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES OSCAR I, CARTER, OI? HOUSTON, Tm?

CORE BARREL,

Application filed m 25;

My present invention relates generally to core barrels or what are known as coring tools and is more particularly an improvement in that type of device described and I claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 7 03,213 which was filed March 31, 1924i,

the object of my present improvements being the provision of a simple effective imple-' ment by means of which a substantiall solid W uncontaminated core may be obtaine from any formation, that is rock, shale, gumbo, sand and the like and easily withdrawn to the surface for examination without loss or injury.

More particularly my invention proposes a device of this character'in which the sampling tube, attachable at one end to a drill stem,-'is provided at its other end with core forming cutters and is internally construct- 22 ed adjacent to its cutters in such manner as to detachably support interchangeable core holding means whose function is to support the core during withdrawal thereof from a well and whose specific nature depends upon the formation from which the coreis taken.

Inthe accompanying drawings which il- 1 lustrate my present invention and form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved core barrel or sampling tool,

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section therethrough,

Fi ure is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the use of a slightly difi'erent form of core holding means,

Figure 4 is an. enlarged sectional view through the lower portion of the tube showing still another form of core holding means,

Figure 5 is a erspective view of the core holding means s own in Figure 4,

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views illustrating the core holding means of Figure 3,

Figure 8'is a top plan view of the core holding means of Figure 2,

, Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the valve member, and

Figures 10 and 11 are respectively a side view and cross section showing a modified form of cutter at the lower end of the tube.

1924. Serial No, 728,415,

Referring now to these figures my invention presents a core barrel or coring tool in- .cluding a sampling tube in upper and lower sections 15 and 16 into the upper end of the latter of which the lower end of the upper section 15 threads as plainly seen in Figures the collar and is apertured as at 21 around its axis in order to permit of communication between the upper section 15 of .the

samplingtube and the interior of the drill stem under control of a flat disk-like valve 22 which as seen in Figure 2. seats upon the upper surface of the body 20 under tension of a helical spring 23 which. engages the valve disk at one end and bears at its other end against the head of a stud 24 extending axially through and upwardly beyond the body 20 and also projecting axially through the valve disk 22 in order that it may act as a guide for the movement of the latter.

At its lower end, the lower section 16 of the sampling tube has cutters, either integral therewith as'seen at 25 in Figures 1,

2 and 3 or detachable therefrom as seen in Figures 10 and 11 wherein the lower section 16 has diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 26, the side walls along which have inner and outer rabbets 27, to receive detachable cutters 28 provided with conform- .ably grooved sides 29, the cutters being held by transverse keys in the form of pins 30 which extend through side recesses of the cutters and the lower section 16 of the sampling tube, the recesses cooperating to form openings for the said locking pins or keys.

Irrespective of the particular form of cutter employed, the lower section of the sampling tube is in each instance provided with cutters in operation.

an internal upwardly facing annular shoulder 31 adjacent to its lower end which op-v poses the lower end of the upper section 15 in spaced relation andwhich forms a seat for the core holding means having in every instance a cylindrical body which may be inserted downwardly into the lower section when the latter is removed from the upper section in order that it may reach and seat upon the annular shoulder 31 and which is also in every instance movably confined between said shoulder and the lower end of the upper section so that it may be easily and quickly removed for the interchange of core holding means adaptable to different types of formation.

It is to be particularly noted as regards the cutters, that is either the cutters 25 of Figures 1, 2 and 3 or the cutters 28 of Figure 10, that these cutters extend outward beyond the adjacent end of the barrel for a distance sulficient to provide ample clearance for the descent of mud to the bottom of the hole to furnish lubrication for the he cutters are furthermore so shaped that the cuttings are directed into thel-ower end of the core barrel or sampling tube.

It will also be noted from Figures 1 and 2 that the nipple 18 hasdiametrical openings 32 in order to provide for the outlet of mud pumped down within the drill stem tor the lubrication of the cutters and it will be further seen that tbe valve before described and located within the coupling collar 17 etfectively prevents the mud from descending and washing out the sand core Within the tube 15, 16. It will also be seen that adjacent to its upper end the upper section 15 of the sampling tube has diametrical openings 33 which provide for the outlet of mud from the tube as the core is formed and passes upwardly into the tube.

Of the several interchangeable core holding members, each of which has a cylindrical body, the core holding member shown in Figures 2 and 8 intended for use where a core is to be removed from sandy or similar light formations, has a cylindrical body 34 upon the upper end of which are hinged a series of inwardly and downwardly closing segmental flaps 35, each flap having a pivot strap 36 extending between ears 37 upstanding from the cylindrical body 34, the several flaps being free to swing upwardly and outwardly away from one another upon the pivot pins 38 extending through the cars 37 and pivot straps 36, so as to thus provide for the movement of the core upwardly, the flaps being, however, always in enga ement with the core so that upon any ten ency of the core to move downwardly out of the tube when the core barrel is drawn upwardly out of the hole, theflaps will be forced inwardly and downwardly to the closed posinewness tion and the core thus firmly supported so that it may here-moved without danger of loss or breakage.

According to the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 6, the core barrel as whole is like that of Figures 1 and 2 except that being for use in removing a rock core, the valve is removed from the coupling col lar 1'7 and a 'diilerent form of core holding member is utilized. The core holding mem-- ber shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7 has a body 39 whose external surface is cylindrical and whose internal surface is tapering, and this body is provided with lengthwise slots to at equi-distantly spaced points therearound, the outer surface of the body being recessed around the said slots as at l1 in order that the surfaces around the outside of the slot may parallel the inner tapering surface at the body. Tapering vertically slidable slips 42, having inner toothed faces 43, are emplayed, each slip having a rectangular headed stud 44: which projects outwardly through one of the slots d0 of the body. These slips, disposed with their smaller ends downwardly so that upon upward movement of the core the slips shift upwardly within the body 39 to permit the core to pass upwardly into the section 15 of the tube, where as upon a tendency of the core to move downwardly the slips shift downwardly with the same and inwardly into gripping relation with the core, it being noted that the teeth of the slips are inclined upwardly so that the core will thus be firmly grasped pnpl held during its withdrawal from the The form of core holding member shown in Figures 4: and 5 may be used with roclr and practically all formations except sand lJU and comprises a cylindrical body 45 to the upper end of which, bet sen ears 46, are pivoted the outer ends of gripping arms t? whose enlarged inner ends are toothed as at d8, these arms swinging on their pivots l9 substantially in the same manner as the flaps 35 swing in the form of construction shown in Figures 2 and 3.

It is obvious from the foregoing that my invention provides a construction by means of which a substantial core in a single piece may be accumulated and subset uently withdrawn without danger of brea' age or contamination, the device in operation being lowered into a well upon the lower end of a drill stem and being then placed in operation by rotation of the drill stem in the manner which is usual and well known with devices ot this general type. It is of course obvious that instead of using the device on a drill stem it may be attached in a similar manner at the bottom of an expansive and contractive drill.

ll claim:

In a coring tool, a core barrel, a cutter exllU memes tension threaded upon the outer face of the lower end of said barrel and having a bore of the. same diameter as the barrel said extension having a ortion of a bore enlarged with a seat at the ower end of said enlarged portion the end of the barrel forming a seat at the upper end thereof, a cylinder loosely disposed in and freely movable lengthwise of said enlarged bore portion and a pluralit of radially extending memberscarried 1 V by t 1e cylinder and connected to move upwardly, the bore enlargement being of reater length than the combined length of t e cylinder and the members carried thereby.

OSCAR M. CARTER. 

